Volusia restaurants say COVID-19 not to blame for customer drop news-journalonline.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from news-journalonline.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Love is in the air this weekend for restaurateurs in Volusia and Flagler counties, who anticipate that the big Valentine s Day holiday and an influx of NASCAR fans will offer a welcome boost in business.
“We expect to have a really busy weekend, to see a lot of people getting out on Friday, Saturday and Sunday,” said Adam Barringer, owner of the beachside SoNapa Grille in New Smyrna Beach, one of many restaurants offering a special menu for Valentine’s Day weekend. “We’ve got the races going on, so there’s a lot of people in town.”
Although Valentine’s Day is traditionally one of the year’s big holidays for dining out, research presented by the National Restaurant Association indicates that more than half of U.S. consumers (56%) have altered their planning for celebrations this year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.